Archive for the ‘Observations and Commentary’ Category

double vision

Posted: July 29, 2025 in Humorous Bits, Observations and Commentary, Traskland
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I recently purchased my first pair of prescription sunglasses. For years I avoided getting non-OTC sunglasses out of some hardened notion they were neither cost-effective nor necessary. Since forever my various pairs of Ray-Bans have been stalwart companions, filtering sunlight while I silently cosplayed as a rogue fighter pilot bolstered by a testosterone-fueled nickname.

I only use corrective lens for distance, primarily for non-handheld screens or driving. Well, I don’t wear sunglasses whilst in a darkened room watching a film or, more likely, videos of cats gone wild. My cars have always had a roof which masterfully blocks most light. I occasionally drive directly into the sun’s unforgiving glare, but when that happens the Ray-Bans are fine. I just pop them directly over my eyeglasses until cloud cover or sunset or an unexpected thumpity-thump takes care of it. I may look like a mad scientist with shades upon specs, but it works. It has the added benefit of (more…)

character assassination

Posted: March 25, 2025 in Observations and Commentary
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In 1992 the Josephson Institute of Ethics published the Six Pillars of Character, a set of universally accepted core ethical values which cut across cultural, religious, and socioeconomic statuses. They were developed as a roadmap for young people to help them navigate the challenges and contradictions of human life. Getting these ideals in front of kids and teens was a noble attempt to advance common foundational standards. Today large banners highlighting the pillars are a common sight in middle and high school hallways and auditoriums across America. Perhaps you’ve seen them.

• Trustworthiness: Honesty, integrity, reliability, loyalty, and keeping promises.
• Respect: Treating others with dignity, valuing differences, and showing consideration.
• Responsibility: Being accountable for actions, fulfilling commitments, and demonstrating self-control.
• Fairness: Playing by the rules, being open-minded, and treating everyone equally.
• Caring: Showing empathy, compassion, and concern for others.
• Citizenship: Engaging in community, respecting laws, and contributing to society.

Most of us can agree this is a fine basis for a personal ethos. The concepts are solid. They possess a visceral moral authority, a backbone for civilized human life. They encapsulate a worldview we hope (more…)

common threads #17: risk-taking

Posted: March 18, 2025 in Humorous Bits, Observations and Commentary
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Risk? What risk?

We are all risk-takers simply by being alive. Every decision we make, every action we take, is fraught with risk and consequence. You assume getting out of bed is risk-free? That’s your first mistake, bucko. Your second is stepping on the cat when your feet expected the floor. Your third is reflexively jerking your leg up and ramming your knee into the night table. Your fourth is screaming an expletive-filled expletive which prompts the cat to screech and attack. Here it is, 6:00 a.m. and you have been awake all of 15 seconds. Already you have a throbbing knee, an angry cat, and deep vertical scratches on your thigh. Don’t be fooled, my friend. Risk is omnipresent.

Risk implies a potential for threat. Risk mitigation can help, but this requires thoughtful planning to help manage, limit, or eliminate conceivable setbacks as much as possible. It demands awareness. Forethought and a reasonable understanding (more…)

common threads #16: thumb sucking

Posted: October 9, 2021 in Humorous Bits, Observations and Commentary
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We think of thumb sucking as a baby’s behavior, one which may slide into toddler years. From birth a child will reflexively suck on any object put into its tiny, gummy mouth. Most agree this is a natural reflex evolved over many millennia (or 6,000 years if you are a strict creationist) to facilitate breast-feeding. You see it was difficult for a toothless child to eat fresh kill, be it rabbit or Stegosaurus. Sustenance had to come from somewhere lest the species wither away, so nature provided mother’s milk. What a beautiful thing, nature and nurture working together before the versus jumped in and ruined everything.

The sucking reflex associated with survival disappears early, generally after four months. Yet the pleasurable sensations associated with it don’t just evaporate like a barista when you absolutely cannot get through the next 30 seconds without a triple mocha Frappuccino. The cravings it satisfies – comfort, security, contentment – remain powerful. Substitutes are needed to fill the gap, both in your mouth and psyche. People who study these things call post-infant thumb sucking a non-nutritive sucking habit. The fastest and most readily available understudy is your thumb. It is literally (more…)

wild wild west

Posted: September 2, 2021 in Humorous Bits, Observations and Commentary
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Yesterday Texas slipped further back into its wild, wild west fantasies. A flurry of laws went into effect which make the Lone Star State a fascinating and depressing petri dish of individual liberty and systematic repression. The ever-shifting Texan ground is fertile for commentary. Today let’s focus on House Bill 1927.

House Bill 1927, named for the last year when all was right with America dammit, allows most Texans to carry a handgun without first securing a permit. Before you get all indignant, keep in mind the Texas legislature is a reasonable body comprised of rational people making common-sense laws. For example, anyone convicted of a felony or domestic violence will still need that permit. Sensible, right? You should feel ashamed for scoffing at the notion the Texas legislature is anything other than reasonable.

Assuming you are without conviction, you are now free to carry your gun as you please. You can mosey down the street and play cowboy without needing a stupid piece of paper from a stupid bureaucratic hack trying to enforce (more…)

a parting gift

Posted: August 23, 2021 in Arts, Observations and Commentary
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Since musician Nanci Griffith’s recent death her fans have flooded social media with an avalanche of tributes. They reflected on songs and albums which hold special meaning. They remembered concerts and television appearances. They talked about times when her music shepherded them through challenging periods. These posts were (and still are) varied, heartfelt, and often tinged with sadness and melancholy. But almost universally they were framed with feelings of gratitude and thanks.

The official announcement of her passing specifically mentioned her wish that no details surrounding it be publicly shared for at least a week. It was a curious and, in this age, unusual choice, although (more…)

be the whistler

Posted: August 7, 2021 in Observations and Commentary
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The relentless avalanche of details surrounding the most recent ex-president’s last two months in office brings to mind the radio crime dramas of the 1940’s and 1950’s. Sirius XM broadcasts many of these old programs like The Whistler, Boston Blackie, and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. They also rerun comedies, variety shows, and straight dramas from the golden age of radio, but it is the mysteries which are particularly entertaining and nowadays, surprisingly instructive.

These shows did not deal in subtlety. A crime was discovered. The hero arrived at the scene, sussed out the whos and whats and wheres, and quickly settled upon a primary suspect. The rest of the program (more…)

dream a little dream

Posted: August 3, 2021 in Observations and Commentary, Traskland
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As a child I had a troubling, recurring dream. I was probably 4 the first time I dreamt it and it would regularly return until I was 8 or 9. I hesitate calling it a nightmare since it never reached the point where I felt helpless and doomed. I would end the threat before it got that far, but I am jumping ahead.

In the dream it was the middle of the night. The drawn curtains blocked out the street lights. I was alone on the floor lying on my stomach watching television. My arms were propped up and my head rested in my hands. The television was in my father’s living room. It was a large, very old black and white Zenith, the kind that took a moment to warm up when first turned on. A small dot would appear in the center of the screen and gradually grow larger until the full picture appeared. When it was turned off, the dot (more…)

do your own research

Posted: August 1, 2021 in Humorous Bits, Observations and Commentary
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“Would you like anchovies on your pizza?”

Excuse me? Anchovies on my pizza? Are you pranking me? That’s hilarious! Where is the hidden camera? While you’re at it you should ask if I’d like a nice dusting of baby powder and a fresh dollop of mud on each slice.

“Have you ever tried it?”

Wait. You’re serious? Why would I eat that? Imagine the sound of rodents racing through the walls as you sit down in a restaurant. You don’t see the wall crawlers, but does that matter? Would you still want to order food? Not if you’re with me. If you multiply that sickening feeling by 1,000 you may understand the scope of horror I feel when it comes to anchovies on pizza.

“You should try it. How can you be certain if you’ve never tried it? Do your own research, man.”

For that I had no comeback. They were right. Until I (more…)

artist at work

Posted: September 4, 2020 in Arts, Observations and Commentary
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Most of us never see artists at work. Most of us never want to see artists at work. The process of visualizing, creating, refining, and polishing is the best left in the shadows. The multiple iterations required to arrive at a completed piece are neither appealing or interesting to most of us. The mental and emotional gyrations which spun and swirled in Van Gogh’s head and hand as he accelerated towards The Starry Night or Café Terrace at Night may fascinate, but they hardly make good viewing. Bach’s endless tinkering with notes and sounds while he composed the Brandenburg Concertos may appeal to the musicologist, but the rest of us are satisfied listening to the music. Nobody wants to see Meryl Streep stand in front of a mirror practicing gestures, accents, and tone while preparing for a role. The image of Anne Coates viewing reels of film in a cramped editing room, then manipulating them in search of the proper pacing for Lawrence of Arabia, is best left to film students. We just want to see the movie. The effort behind (more…)

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